Economic Opportunities According to Automobile OwnershipCar ownership can be a factor supporting mobility gaps. An individual
having access to a car has a more significant commuting range (CR(A))
than an individual without a car (CR(B)). The shape of the commuting range
also varies with car ownership. While a car theoretically
involves an uniform range (the reality is somewhat different with highways),
an individual without a car is very likely to rely on a public transit
system that is commonly shaped along corridors. The commuting
range reflects accessibility to employment, but also the range of commercial
and personal interactions. For instance, an individual located at H can have access to employment zones E1, E2 and E3, while an individual
without an automobile may only access employment zone E1. In this case,
access to an automobile implies larger economic opportunities and the
mobility gap is simply CR(A) - CR(B).Poverty, handicaps, age and gender are all factors which influence
the variability of mobility gaps. Therefore, people with low incomes
make less trips, which incidentally restricts their access to jobs and
other services. People suffering from physical handicaps are further
limited in function of the severity of their handicap. Age also engenders
mobility gaps. Elderly persons are further limited in their movement
due to the precarious nature of their health, their physical capacity
and other factors. Youth are also limited in their travels but only
until they reach driving age. Finally, gender differences also involve
mobility gaps.